The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-13

She a mans figure and half face The
man watched her in side glances. The face,
the outlines took for her a look OF something
well known and loved long ago. He turned
now and approached her slowly Once more,
as once in the past, the blood forsook her
face and settled back around her heart.
Then it came again in great waves and surges
TO her face he grief, the care, the weari-
ness of six years rolled awas as in a cloud,
and left her sitting under the trees with
| white dress on and red rose in her hair, and
the master leaning over the rustic seat beside
| her.
A strong, shapely hand touched her ex-
| tended arm, a pair of starlike eyes looked
| intensely down once more into hers. OH it
was the same. that face with the sweet half
veiled smile she knew well the deep, mel
low voice, calling her as of old, "Shirleyl'
The universe seemed whirling around, with
her, Shirley Carstone, for its pivotal point
She answered, family:
sMr Morrisonin
He came and sat down beside her.
She tried to think of something to say. She
did say:
II didn't think YOU would have known me,
| Mr. Morrison.
For answer he quoted softly:
Il count myself in nothing else so happy,
AS in a soul remembering my good friends. ="
Then he spoke easily and lightly:
what in the world are You doing here,
| Shirleys'
She smiled, with the old gleam of fun i.
her eyes.
Il am reporting the Psycho-ph -physikethico-
logical institute for The Morning Herald"
Don't you think You are little bit crazyr
"rm not sure. But if be l, which think
be, then Tn sure some of the members of
that institution are"
What do they dor
"Oh, they go incoming about over the uni
versal everywhere, and grabble after the in
| finite
| He smiled with amusement. "Can YOU un-
| derstand them. he said
"Well, sometimes get tangled up between
| the actuality of the present and the reality of
| the possible. But that's all a joke compared
to the fundamental archetypes of sociology.
That's what really floors me, you know.
| They just pour out their souls upon the funda-
mental archetypes of sociology"
"Well, don't stop 'em."
Il don't intend to. But l would like to
choke off their blessed bosh, now and then, il
l could. The fun of it is, they fancy they
| understand one another If you outside, vox
| popuh, don't understand, then so much the
worse for youI7
He laughed again, but said nothing. II
was JOY and perfect peace only to be near
her, to hear her voice. 1t seemed to be a re-
| lief from embarrassment for her to run on
! She asked him:
do you mean to say you are not here tc
attend the Psycho-physi insti
tutey'
He seemed little confused
mo, no." he said; 81 am only here fol
| n i
the report you make Shirley; how long i,
| itg'
She smiled merrily and held up the bundle
of paper she had covered. "How long is it
All day long
He would not talk of himself He only said
he had been in the west, and had been busy
all these years.
"Tell me what has happened in Linwood,
he said Il have not a heard a word from i
since left. / thought you would have beer
married long ago, Shirley"
She looked at him a little reproachfully
then suddenly, as the thought of all she hac
lost s<lce he left her came back, shadow o.
grief and pain came over her bright, swee
face. She told him of her fathers terribl,
death, of the loss of her fortune, of how sh,
was in his old place as teacher
l write for newspapers, too" she said
nation from agricultural reports for the read
ers of The Morning Herald can tell yol
to a dot too, what effect the new dog tai
law IS going to have ON the politics of tn,
state"
But why do you lSt write your poeml'
She flushed slightly. Mother is an in
valid" she said. 1--WE need so many things
must do all can to get money. II hav
so much to look after 1t seems as though
never get time to commence my poem Blu
l have not given it up, Mr.. Morrison Don
think that"
Her voice quivered little.
The master read and perceived
Il see it all he said sadly. "You ar
father and mother and bread winner to then
all. never looked for this for you. Ny dea
girl, my poor Shirley"
He stroked her hair softly, and with in
finite tenderness
Mr.. Morrison fingered on from day to day
He seemed not to be able to break the high
chains that held him there Yet he appeare,
restless and ill at ease He spoke of goin
from day to day, though he did not go II
was reserved, and kept apart from the rest
But he lowered about Shirley always, nc
oppressively, but just enough. He wrote hal
, her reports for her. He had the fine graceful
tact, the polished ease of manner of one VIII
: knows Just what to do in the right place. II
knew and met her every little wish, aIrnos
. before it was formed He never seemed {
be looking for her, but ever his eyes sougt
} hers with messages of courage and sympathy
/ | Shirley was IN paradise. 1t was
, strangely sweet to her, the lonely girl, to fin
? | somebody who thought she needed help an
. sympathy. 1t is the doom Of those wh
r spend their lives caring for others. that nor
l %bor
. | care Of
, Little things are much 10 woman, yer
much.
= 1t was the first time since her father die
Q that anybody had taken thought of Shirley
G happiness and comfort. In six years it ha
. occurred to nobody that she had any lit
. wants or wishes of her own Therefore W,
this human sympathy unspeakabiy sweet
her.
n The world shaking deliberations of Il
y Psychophysikethicolog drew to clos
, The last afternoon these phosphoric intellec
; so far forgot their mission as to have a pi
l. mic. One blushes to record it. They amuse
70 themselves Many went on boat excursiol
over the lake.
Shirley said Mr. Morrison, Il want yc
: to come with me this evening This is Il
e last. Wear your white dress, too, and put
% rose in your hair. That is how wish to 7
d member you. am TO have you all to. m
'e self this evening, mind
He led her TO the beach and seated her In
little skid. He took the oars himself. Wi
q few powerful strokes they shot out into Z
mooniit lake
r Il have found place along the lake that
y want TO show you,, he said Il think it "
10 please YOU
~ In half an hour he tied the boat at the shs
IN the deep hollow Of a tiny crescent bay.
:, cluster Of beautiful trees grew there. Ne
= by brook tumhled over a cliff. and tn
gathered itself up and went on again into {
AXE The summer wind murmured 4
= among the trees. The miniature waterf
nurmured back in music. The drops
water made a million white lights in I
:. moopbeams. All was cool and restful.
g Shirley clasped her hands with deligl
- sHow lovelyi How lovely this is.
- u thought you would like it. p said the M
9 9 ter, quietly.
All that afternoon they had been near ca
: other. In company with two or three of /
- learned lights, they had gone botanizing, .
a nicking, naturalistinE. and the Lord kno
= what Il had been, in a way. like the VI
isheo days Of Lnwood, yet different. Y
there was difference now.
Little matter was il thai they had not b
alone Ihey were happier. perhaps, on Il
qcconnk The sweet. subtle sympathy Il
joined them could weIl be left unspoken. I
~ silver line stretched between them, invisi
"a all but themselves
g. They found seat beneath the heauti
Nh